Why Are Animals Orange?

by Melissa Stewart

Enslow, 2009

for Grades 1–3

ISBN 978–0‑76603–250‑7

Purchase this book at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.com.

Animals come in all colors of the rainbow—and with good reason, too. Being orange helps Bengal tigers and coral groupers, scarab beetles and panther chameleons survive in their habitats. This book clearly explains the science behind animal coloration with easy-to-read text and stunning full-color photographs that are sure to delight and educate young readers.

Honors and Awards

National Science Teachers Association Recommended Title

Reviews

“… vibrant colors and fun facts take readers through the world and explain how color helps creatures survive. They are introduced to a variety of animals, from finned to feathered. [Then] readers are introduced to two new animals and get to see if they can figure out how the animals’ color helps them survive in their environments. [W]orld maps show where each animal lives … and would make a nice starting point to discuss affects of environmental changes and how they might affect the animals. Each volume provides a beautiful introduction to animal adaptations … High-interest content, bright color, and controlled vocabulary will draw readers in.” (NSTA)

“The world is a rainbow of animals, and these books set out to explain why … This unusual, appealing series is easy to read and will be a solid selection for reluctant readers.” (School Library Journal)

“From the Bengal tiger to the viceroy butterfly, the zoology is exciting in this small, clear photo-essay in the new Rainbow of Animals series, with short, chatty interactive text opposite full-page close-up pictures of each of the 12 animals in glowing color. There are amazing facts aplenty, about the role of the color orange in mating, camouflage, and keeping predators away in the air, on land, and in the sea … Excellent back matter includes a glossary, a bibliography of Web sites and books, world maps that show each animal’s habitat, and two photos with questions and answers about how orange helps the northern oriole and the stinkbug stay safe. A great first science book for classroom and home.” (Booklist)

Behind the Book

“Before researching and writing this group of books, I enjoyed the vast variety of animal colors, but I never really thought about their importance as adaptations for survival. An animal’s color can help it blend with its surroundings, warn predators to stay away, or let a mate know its whereabouts. Color makes the natural world more beautiful to us and they send other creatures all kinds of important messages.”